Homecoming
by xxMichelle
Summary: Naruto thought bringing Sasuke home would be all happy thoughts, kisses, and sunshine. Turns out it is no such thing. Majorly broken, uke!Sasuke. Graphic abuse, noncon. Much melodrama. NaruSasu. Also relatively AU; I don't follow the actual storyline much.
1. I Came Back For You

Please note, this fic was pretty much written for melodrama and melodrama only. My goal is to make my characters as sad as possible, cliches included. So, if you came for much crying, flashbacks, and angsty sex (and probably lots of abuse), you came to the right place.

If you came for a well-developed plot... Sorry, bro. I hold no such standard :(

* * *

_I came back for you. I came back for you and look at what you let happen to me_.

Two days ago was the last time Naruto had a chance to see Sasuke and for these past two days without him those words rang through his head. They were louder than his alarm clock, first thing in the morning. They were heavier than the flak jacket he wears for strength training, hours at a time. They hurt like no battlefield injuy he had ever sustained in his entire lifetime because every single injury, every last one, he could always take comfort in the fact that he'd received it in an effort to bring Sasuke back.

Gotta bring Sasuke back to the village.

Gotta bring Sasuke back.

Gotta find Sasuke.

And here Naruto is, losing himself, mindlessly running the blunt tip of his pointer finger over the dull edge of his knife in the training field, dissecting and redissecting Sasuke and his words. Seconds, minutes, hours - time fades and slowly releases him, leaving him under the too cold shade from the trees above, wondering what he really thought was going to happen.

He would bring Sasuke back and then what?

Sasuke would kiss him, different than the only kiss they've ever shared when they were twelve, experimental, and confused; but the same. Naruto would want it to feel the same. Even when he was twelve years old Naruto knew he loved Sasuke.

And here he was, twenty two years old, wondering how he'd spent so many years of his life so naive. Or maybe just so carelessly blind.

He would bring Sasuke back and then what? A kiss and a happy ending?

No.

He brought Sasuke back. He found him way up north where the snow is perpetual and you can feel ice beneath your every step. Freezing, slippery feet of it. Not a place Naruto, with his blonde haired, tan skinned glory, particularily enjoyed. But he found Sasuke.

And now he sits, partially regretting it.

He found Sasuke way up north, dressed as skimpy as ever. His sword was on his back. The group of thugs he'd been carrying with him trailing along behind him. Sasuke ordered him to leave and he and Naruto argued.

Stop following me, he said.

I'll never come back with you, he said.

Fuck that village; so help me God next time I come within ten miles of it I am destroying the whole thing and you along with it, he said.

I don't miss you, he said.

He lied.

Naruto remembers crying. Lots of crying and lots of hugging and lots of apologizing and promises.

He remembers one scar, poking out of his clothing. One scar and a mile long rip in Sasuke's mentality.

Orochimaru did bad things to me, he said, Akatsuki did, too.

And Naruto tore his whole life apart, flipped it upside down. They yelled for hours, so long Naruto's throat burned. They pushed and shoved and Sasuke came back with him.

They left the cold snow for Konoha, for home, and Naruto really, genuinely thought the silliest thing. He thought it would be all too easy. He thought there would be kisses and happy endings, but instead what he got was _I came back for you. I came back for you and look at what you let happen to me._

Naruto supposes, as the sun sets for the third time in his newfound life with him, that Sasuke was a little naive, too. Surely he's not that motivational a speaker.

But the stark black-purple bruises on Sasuke's perfect, pale face. The bright red gashes and blood spattered clothing, the tear in his collar - are they even letting him sleep? - it's pretty much all on Naruto. He feels it so deep in the core of his being. These past three days he has only seen Sasuke once. They only let him see Sasuke once; they're always interrogating him.

And Naruto just feels so bad. Sasuke's life is falling apart. He got two sentences out and all he did afterward was hide his face and cry. Just more fuel to the fire. Just another reason to hate this village.

What if Sasuke tries to leave as soon as they let him out, Naruto wonders.

What if they realize this and _never_ let him out because of it?

"Naruto."

His blonde head snaps up toward the voice of an ANBU summon.

"Tsunade wants to speak to you. Be at the tower in ten minutes."

Naruto figures he'd better start walking.

* * *

"Well, thanks to you we've officially knocked Konoha's most wanted off the list." Tsunade says, light voice just a little too cheery for what Naruto considers the most solemn of events. They have his love locked up deep in this structure. He might die here and while typically an optimist, after years of searching and wanting and needing, Naruto is used to drawing worst case conclusions when it comes to his Sasuke.

"I don't want payment. I did this for me." Naruto says, slight tremor in his voice. He knows he's getting worked up just sitting here thinking about it. This whole three day situation is taking a massive toll on him. He's a wreck, physically and emotionally. After all the nights over all the years past dreaming of holding him he is _here_ and Naruto needs him in his arms. He needs to run his hands through his hair and kiss his face and make him be okay. He needs to make sure Sasuke is okay like he never got to when they were twelve.

"Well, you should take the reward, I think. You'll probably need it for Sasuke's medical care. I'm figuring that boy has been through a lot these past couple years."

His heart stops in his chest, "Excuse me?"

"I'm going to release Sasuke to you, Naruto." Tsunade explains, rather sternly. She leans forward on her desk, hands folded. She looks at Naruto as if she's assigning him a mission and the way she explains it to him, she might as well have.

"This is not something I would do under normal circumstances." She continues, "Sasuke is a terrorist, you know that. A massive threat to our nation... But, you know, I've seen him a few times. I've been called down there for medical care. I watch some of the interrogations and any information he gives is directly brought to me. Sasuke is weak, Naruto. He is so goddamn weak I'd be surprised if he can even tap into his chakra without killing himself. I don't know if you noticed it when you brought him here, but he is not in good condition."

Naruto swallows hard. He does not remember that. He remembers everything in a blurr of emotion and fighting and he remembers Sasuke saying yes, he'll come back with him.

The Hokage sighs and rubs her temples, "Naruto, _you_ are responsible for Sasuke's actions. He is yours to care for. He is not ever to have weapons and once I figure out some kind of efficient, long-lasting way to do it we are blocking his chakra channels for good. I am telling you right now, Naruto; this might cost you your dream of becoming Hokage. I had to practically beg the council to let you take Sasuke out of here. They would have been fine putting him to death. Most people would."

At the words, Naruto felt a sudden surge of anger, "He has never directly attacked this village."

"Doesn't matter. He had the intention to. Look, just be careful. I'm giving you this choice and I want you to go home and sleep on it and really-"

"I want to take Sasuke home." Naruto interjected.

"This could cost you your spot as Hokage. No matter what you do for the village, no matter what technique you master or how many other terrorists you bring home, there are people that are very high ranking that would never look at you the same again if you were to house, care for, and defend Sasuke Uchiha."

"I don't care. I want to take Sauske home."

Tsunade looked toward her ANBU operative that had brought him here. For a fleeting second as Naruto watches him hand her one slick silver key he wonders if he's already judging him. Maybe he'll be the very first person to start what will surely be gossip around the village within these coming forty-eight hours or so.

"Take this." Tsunade says, holding the key out, "You know where he is. Good luck."

He takes the key. He turns his back. He walks out of the office.

When Tsunade last looks at him, she looks disappointed. Naruto knows she wanted him to be Hokage after her - the sixth, it was pretty much reserved for him. No more. In this very moment, Naruto doesn't care. He's rushing down staircase after staircase, passing men in porcelain masks as he goes, knowing he's bringing Sasuke home with him without signing a single paper.

All he had to give up was one dream. To have Sasuke made two, so Naruto, being the optmist that he is, is thankful that he didn't lose two dreams tonight.

His feet his the floor of the final landing and he practically runs to Sasuke, locked up in solitary confinement in the deepest corner they could tuck him. There are no windiws, no glass. Only a heavy, stone door reinforced with seals that crawled everywhere in his line of sight.

He swings the door open. The room smells like blood and sweat and fear and the air in here is different - Naruto knows Sasuke is not the first person to be held in this room, definitely not the last. He thinks maybe he's glad he'll never be hokage.

Sasuke is sitting in the corner, legs drawn up to his chest. His head is on his knees. His hands are up to his ears. He's struggling to ignore the door opening.

_I came back for you. I came back for you and look at what you let happen to me._

"Sasuke." He says. It feels unreal, saying his name like that.

Wide, black eyes look up to meet his, "Naruto? What are you even doing back here?"

It's hard for him to even find words, but he manages an, "It's okay", and he approaches the slightly trembling Uchiha.

"I shouldn't have listened to you." Sasuke says, and it hurts like a punch in the gut. He's so beautiful, covered in scars the way he is, and now that Sasuke is in next to no clothes he can see all the better.

"No," Naruto replies, crouching down next to him, "It's okay, I promise."

Sasuke shakes his head and for the first time, for the first time _ever _aside from the argument that brought him here, Naruto is witness to Sasuke's eyes weling up with tears and it is so much heavier this time around, "It's not okay."

"It is." The blonde protests, "I'm going to help you."

"How? You don't have any idea what my life has been like. You never have had any idea; you just do what you fucking want. Always."

"Don't say that, Sasuke."

Sasuke draws in a shaky breath and brings his hands up to his face. His breath hitches.

"Oh, Naruto. I don't understand why they didn't just slaughter me like they slaughtered the rest of my godforsaken clan."

"Don't say that."

He looks back at him and there are actual tears now, sliding ever so slowly down his cheeks to his chin. It's heartbreaking to watch and even more heartbreaking when he asks, "Why not?"

Naruto wants to touch him. He wants to fix it like normal people fix things, with happy thoughts and hugs and well wishes. But he feels like if he touches him he'll shatter. Sasuke is so beyond fragile he doesn't know how to handle it. This was never what Sasuke was like. Ever.

"I don't know what to do anymore."

Naruto extends a hand toward Sasuke's face; he can't help it. He gently wipes away tears, practically begs him, "You don't have to think about all that stuff, just come with me. Let me help you, Sasuke. I love you."

Sasuke doesn't say it back. He must have appreciated the touch, though, because he brings his knees down and he leans into Naruto until he can wrap his arms around his shoulders and be pulled forward into an embrace. He cries. He squeezes so tight Naruto both loves an hates it at the same time.

And this, Naruto feels, is inherently wrong. When Sasuke left the village he was not the kind of guy to let himself be hugged. He was not the kind of guy to cry or to vocalize his feelings in any manner. He wasn't _this_.

Sasuke has changed and that fact alone is terrifying.

"You're coming with me," Naruto repeats, squeezing Sasuke tighter against the brunette's weak grip on him, "I'm not letting them keep you here."

There is no way Sasuke wants to stay here, anyway. And Naruto knows now that he is the only person Sasuke has to turn to, in this entire world.

He's going to make sure Sasuke is happy.


	2. If You Need Me

Sasuke wants to go to bed immediately.

He turns down Naruto's offer of food or a shower or anything like that and instead heads to the spare room and helps the blonde make the bed and dust shit off - it's been a while since Naruto used this room for anything, obviously - and they're done in twenty minutes. Sasuke has always been a bit of a neat freak, but just the basics will do for now.

He's exhausted.

"Shut off the lights, please." Sasuke requests, his cue for Naruto to leave. He's anxious to get in bed and get some real sleep and the tiniest inkling of real peace.

Naruto, however, is worried and he lets it be known, "Sasuke, if you need anything I'm right next door. You can come to me."

"Okay."

There are things to be said, he knows. Since Naruto brought him back to the village and their massive argument, his stupid decision to cave in, and all the conflict that followed. He is almost disgusted; what kind of desperate must he have been at that _specific moment_ to admit the things he admitted? To let Naruto say all those things to him and convince him, just so randomly, to come back to this place?

He thanks his lucky stars he didn't tell Naruto he loved him back. He reminds himself he doesn't and they are not having that conversation. Not now. Maybe not ever.

For the first time in a long while he just wants to hide. Shut everything out.

"I'm worried that you're angry with me." Naruto continues, "You know, because of the thing you said at the tower..."

Sasuke can't even look at him. He averts his gaze and crosses his arms over his chest, uncomfortable. Here's Naruto, so healthy, wanting this healthy relationship and to 'talk'. Sasuke never was and never will be that person. He doesn't want to talk about it. He wants to go to bed.

But Naruto goes on, "I mean, I know it's easy to blame me. You came back with me. I could do nothing to get you out of that place for three whole days and I let you believe that everything would be totally normal if you came back with me- "

"You didn't let me believe anything." The Uchiha interjected, "It was my stupid choice."

"Who could blame you? It's like you have no safe place to turn! I don't like those things you said to me when we last spoke outside the village. I'm worried about you. I missed you so much when you were gone, Sasuke; you know that, don't you?"

Sasuke turns his back, brushing it off with a wave of one pale hand, "I just want to go to sleep. I'm tired."

Naruto sighs and Sasuke hears the rustle of his clothes against the doorframe as he straightens himself up, "We should talk eventually, though. I know it's not your thing, but you... Look, I meant every single thing I said to get you to come back to Konoha with me. I love you. And I want to be here for you. I spent years trying to have this."

Sasuke is irritated at the words. Angry or embarassed, he couldn't pick if he had to, but he knows his pride is kicking in. A part of him wants to push all Naruto's buttons and spark an argument - use that same statement, _I came back for you and look at what you let happen to me_. And he wants it to bother him.

"Sasuke, I'm really sorry about all the interrogating and-"

Sasuke turns back around. The conversation is still going and the lights are still on. "I don't want to talk about whatever happened in the tower, Naruto. I don't want to talk about my life after I left the village or while I was with Akatsuki. I don't want to talk about my brother. I don't want to talk about my clan. I don't want to talk about our confrontation or about whatever you feel guilty for; I am fine. Just tired."

Naruto bites his lip, perfectly straight, white teeth pressing down just the slightest bit. He's conflicted, too. "Well..." He says, "Just please come to me if you need me."

"I will." Sasuke says, although he knows he won't need to. It's been a while since Sasuke has relied on anybody and he can tough most things out just fine.

The light switches off and Naruto closes the door behind him as he leaves Sasuke to crawl in bed, underneath warm covers and close his eyes to fall into a blissful state of unawareness. Five minutes in bed and he is already asleep.

* * *

Naruto wakes up to footsteps in the hallway. He doesn't normally have people over, especially not overnight, as he'd rather go out himself. And Sasuke's footsteps, while recognizable, are a tad clumsy. They're not at all stealthy, not silent, not the way they used to be. His hallway is hardwood and it's not hard to detect a legitimate stumble. Sasuke might not be the same, but he shouldn't be stumbling.

Worried, Naruto steps out of bed and crosses the room to poke his head out of his cracked door, "Sasuke? Are you alright?"

"Fine."

The brunette waves him off.

His hands are trembling though, that much is blatant. He's got one of them partially covering his face and at the sound of Naruto's voice, he stops walking and leans against the wall. He doesn't look at him.

"Are you sure you're not sick?" Naruto asks, "Because you don't look okay."

Sasuke shakes his head no, bangs covering up everything his hand isn't. He leans forward, nearly doubled over, and now that Naruto is closer he can see the tremble through his entire body, "Go to bed."

His voice isn't even steady.

Naruto reaches out to try and get Sasuke up straight again but Sasuke shoves his hands back, shaking his head, "No. Go to bed."

"I'm not going to bed until I know you're okay. What are you even doing?"

"Nothing! Oh my God, just go back to bed!"

Sasuke is growing increasingly unstable, shaking harder. His breath comes in ragged and hitched and _terrifying_.

"Sasuke, let me take you to the hospital. You can't even breathe."

He reaches for the slightly shorter male and despite the steadily weaker attempts to push him back again, he forces his back against the wall and he takes his hand away from his face. Sasuke's eyes are shut tight and his mouth is parted, each breath so shallow.

"Did you hurt yourself?" Naruto asks, growing increasingly frantic himself, "Did you take something?!"

The thought of Sasuke getting into the medicine cabinet was a scary one and honestly one Naruto should have been prepared for, but with everything happening the way it was he hadn't had a chance to sit and think this whole thing through. He doesn't know how to Sasuke-proof a house and up until now he didn't think he had to.

Still, Sasuke shakes his head, struggling to get his hands back. He opens his eyes, says, "You're making it worse, idiot. Back. Off."

Naruto lets go of his hands and bends to scoop Sasuke into his arms so that he can carry him out - despite the fact that Sasuke doesn't want to walk, they're going to the emergency room. Sasuke struggles against it, "N-no! Naruto, don't! I-!"

The frustration in Sasuke's voice is almost tangible and Naruto stops moving for a second to look at him. Maybe if he explained, Sasuke would take it better. He wasn't letting him die here.

And he notices tears welling up in his eyes.

"I can't _breathe_." Sasuke says, through his uneven breathing.

"I know that, Sasuke, That's why we're going to the hospital."

"I'm having a _panic attack_. I... I'm not dying. Just _stop_."

"You're what?" Naruto asks.

"I can't _breathe_."

And Sasuke bends over again, reaching out with one trembling hand to grasp Naruto's forearm and the blonde helps him regain his balance, watching his back rise and fall and shake.

And Naruto knows what a panic attack is. This is not one of them. He has never seen a person panic so hard they couldn't even stand upright.

"I can't _breathe_." Sasuke repeats.

Naruto tries to sit him down and Sasuke goes with it. He lets him put his hands back over his face. He lets him bend his knees up to his chest.

"Sasuke, you're sick. I can't have you die here in my hallway. I'd never forgive myself." The blonde explains, grabbing Sasuke's free hand.

The Uchiha takes it, squeezing in return. He keeps shaking his head, "N-no. It's almost... I-It's almost over... Panic attack."

Naruto wonders how long he's been like this in the first place. And what could possibly trigger a panic attack of such extreme measure? And does he ever believe this is a panic attack in the first place? Naruto decides he's going to give Sasuke the few minutes he requested to ride it out. He feels the smaller hand within his own still trembling hard despite its weight being carried.

He looks at his face.

From underneath the hand over the top half of his face, Naruto can see stray tears traveling down his face as the Uchiha's breath hitches and hitches and hitches.

"Please... Please don't take me to the hospital."

Naruto squeezes his hand just a little bit harder in response, "It's okay, Sasuke. We won't go if you don't have to."

"I don't."

Sasuke draws in a long breath and holds it until it forces itself back out. Naruto's been out here with him for a good five minutes or so, he realizes. He can't let him keep going like this forever, despite the fact that he thinks it'll disspiate on its own.

"But you have to get better. This is not good for you."

Sasuke shakes his head some more, letting his hand drop from his face. Their eyes lock and his are wide and fearful and he explains through breaks, "It's not going to just... _leave_ in five minutes, Naruto. I have back to back panic attacks sometimes, just p-please... Please don't. I'm fine. I need to go back to bed."

"Fine." Naruto says, and he helps Sasuke stand. Really, maybe he should ask Sakura about some of this stuff and he still hasn't eliminated the possibility that Sasuke took something off his mental checklist of things that could possibly be wrong with him.

He helps Sasuke walk to his room. He gets him in bed and he sits on the edge as he watches his best friend struggle, pulling covers up over him completely.

And it hurts watching him like this. The dissipation of the happily ever after image Naruto had built up over the years becomes more and more tangible. Each ragged breath, each barely audible sob, every minute that passes happily ever after is slowly being chipped apart, eaten away.

Ten minutes pass and Sasuke is still panicking, now turned on the side facing Naruto because he can't pick a side to be comfortable on.

Fifteen minutes pass and eventually he's sitting up, crying, helpless. Naruto is so tempted to take him to the ER kicking and screaming.

"Do you want to go, Sasuke?" He asks, "I'll stay with you the whole time. They can get you albuterol and even if this is just a panic attack that'll help."

Naruto can only ever remember having one panic attack, right before his jonin exam. Sakura gave him albuterol for it. He's seen her give it for asthma attacks, too. Anything and everything respiratory. And it really, really did help completely abate his five minutes of panic.

Sasuke shook his head no.

It was hard to imagine him wanting to go, he supposed. His face was blotchy and tear stained and he was seeming to get worse, not better.

Twenty minutes in and it seemed to be going away, slowly, slowly.

Sasuke managed a few words, "I-I'm _so tired_."

"Do you want to lay down?"

Another headshake, "It's so-so late."

"I know, Sasuke."

"Don't... leave."

"I won't, Sasuke. I'll stay up all night with you if I have to."

Thirty-five minutes in Sasuke was sleeping, completely crashed, gracelessly.

Naruto stayed with him until sunrise.


End file.
